


Cherries

by gemsofformenos



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Caring, F/M, Perfect Cherries, Reparing Relationship, Sokkla, Starting romance, Supportive Sokka, Ursa really cares for Azula, cherries, surprise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28592256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemsofformenos/pseuds/gemsofformenos
Summary: Cherries. Not simply cherries but perfect cherries. Really perfect cherries. Azula has never had cherries as perfect as the ones which have been secretly placed at her nightstand this morning. She had no clue who had gifted her such a treat but here she has woken up with a bowl filled with perfect cherries beside her bed...
Relationships: Azula/Sokka (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Cherries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seyary_Minamoto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seyary_Minamoto/gifts).



> This story is my little Birthday Gift for the wonderful Seyary_Minamoto. It was a sudden idea and I wanted to have a little gift for you to thank you for all your support and kind words for me and my little lines and stories. I hope you'll have a wonderful day today and so much fun with this story.

Cherries.

Azula had already snacked two of them as she realized her own surprise because they seemed to have appeared out of nowhere this morning on the nightstand. The Princess hasn’t heard anyone coming in or out of her room but one look at the bowl proved her that these cherries must have been brought here only minutes before she rose with the sun.

A little bowl filled up with perfect ripe cherries. All of them painted in deepest red, with flawless shining skin like each one of them would have been polished for hours. The first morning light showed the depth and vivid flow of the shades of red floating from a deep crimson red to an almost purple one back to an velvet red which seemed to drift back to an nearly rich black. Sometimes the rays of sunlight painted sparkles of flaming red on the smooth skin of the fruits.

Azula took a closer look on the cherries and she raised an eyebrow. She picked up another cherry and turned the fruit carefully between her fingers. She gifted the rest of the cherries a brief look and a little gasp escaped her mouth. The cherries were all hand-picked of course but someone has taken greatest care to remove any pits of them. But this wasn’t the reason for her gasp, it was the time and precision this person has invested in every single fruit. None of the cherries seemed to be squashed during this work. There were only two sharp-edged round holes at the top and the bottom of the cherry. The skin of the fruit showed clear cuts which were the only prove for the work this person has done. No bump, no soft or mashed spot and no ripped fruit skin were to be found only perfection. Azula assumed that it must have taken at least two hours to remove all the pits of the cherries within this bowl maybe more with this precision.

The Princess took a deep breath and closed her eyes in pleasure. A smile found its way to her lips and she shook her head a bit. Azula realized that it hasn’t been the sun only, which has lead her peacefully out of her dreams. She inhaled deep again to savior the rich scent of the cherries which was filling the air with the warmth and promise of an early summer day. The perfume of the fruits wrapped the Princess in comfortable cushions made of luck and joy. She brought the little fruit to her mouth and let it roll over her tongue inside her mouth. The sensation elicited Azula a soft hum. The taste was already so sweet as she rolled the fruit in her mouth. Finally she locked the cherry between her teeth and slowly she added pressure…

The cherry cracked with a wet pop and the rich taste explode in her mouth and only got stronger and stronger while Azula slowly ate the fruit. It was an amazing start into the day and Azula remained in bed and enjoyed the first sunlight in silence while she took her time to celebrate each of the perfectly prepared cherries while she was wondering who has prepared her such a treat.

* * *

The riddle kept her occupied throughout the day. Obviously none of the servants of the palace stuff seemed to have a clue who has prepared her these cherries. She was still deep in her thoughts as she did her last stretching for the training.

“Are you okay?”

Sokka’s concerned voice ripped her out of her thoughts. The young man looked worried and placed his sword back in its sheath. Since Suki and Zuko have become closer lately Sokka has decided to train less with his former girlfriend but more with Azula and Ty Lee. The former acrobat also stopped her stretching and walked over to Azula. The Princess shook her head and waved her hand as if she could brush away the thoughts.

“I’m fine. No need to worry about me.”

Sokka and Ty Lee shared a brief look and the Kyoshi Warrior placed a hand on Azula’s shoulder.

“You seem to be distracted by something.”

Azula huffed a bit and crossed her arms before her chest.

“Haven’t you slept well?”

Sokka’s question somehow made Azula observant. It was a simple question but Azula couldn’t place a finger on it why her instincts kicked in instantly. Maybe it was something in Sokka’s voice. The slight mischief she enjoyed when they were making fun about the bickering of the dimwits in council or when they made plans to mess with her brother. Whatever it was Azula raised an eyebrow and her golden orbs instantly pierced Sokka’s blue ones. The man grinned nervously at her and took a slight step back from her. Azula tended her head to one side and her fingers of her left hand stared to drum on her arm.

“No. And why do you care about my sleep?”

Sokka gulped and tried to hide his rising nervousness behind a goofy grin. Ty Lee only looked from Azula to Sokka and back again with big eyes.

“I always care about your sleep.”

Azula raised an eyebrow again and a slight smirk came to her lips because Ty Lee couldn’t suppress a little snicker which let Sokka jump a little bit. His face reddened instantly.

“Hey, that’s not… I mean not this way…”

Azula’s grin got devilish.

“So I’m not attractive enough to think about me this way?”

Sokka’s ears got crimson red and he started sweating.

“NO… I mean yes… Oh come on Azula! Of course you’re breathtaking beautiful. All I want to say was that I do care about you and how you’re doing and…”

Azula couldn’t suppress a laughter anymore and she placed a hand on Sokka’s shoulder with a smile.

“Sokka… relax.”

The warrior released a big breath but took another sharp one as he found Azula’s piercing eyes close to him.

“Still… It’s interesting that you came up with my sleep at first. I actually had a very good night and a perfect morning with a bowl of perfect cherries as a wake-up call.”

Ty Lee clapped her hands in joy.

“That’s great Azula. I’ll remind myself to order a bowl as well to wake up with.”

Azula’s burning eyes never left Sokka’s blue ones as she waved her hand to signal Ty Lee that she hasn’t got the point yet.

“No Ty Lee I haven’t ordered a bowl of cherries. This bowl was placed beside my bed this morning. And it wasn’t just cherries. I said _perfect_ cherries and I mean it. Every single cherry was perfect. Perfect color, perfectly ripe, perfectly prepared, they have smelled perfectly and every single one of them had the perfect taste.”

The Princess could see Ty Lee’s jaw dropping from out of the corner of her eyes but she could also see the rising nervousness of Sokka. The man knew something about it and due to his face he also knew that Azula has noticed this fact. She pushed with her index finger at the man’s chest.

“So what do you know about a bowl of perfect cherries which have been brought to my bed this morning?”

A little panic rushed over Sokka’s face but to Azula’s surprise he suddenly crossed his arms before his chest and his face got serious.

“I’m sorry Azula but there is nothing I can tell you about that.”

Azula’s eyes jumped wide in surprise as Sokka turned around to collect his stuff to leave the training ground. He stopped at the doorway.

“I hope you’ll have a good night and good morning again.”

The Princess frowned deep as the man left the room and turned to Ty Lee who only shrugged shoulders in confusion.

* * *

Azula didn’t slept well this night. Every sound which was filling the halls of the sleeping Palace suddenly sounded new and kept her awake or let her eyes jumping open as soon as she has dozed off again but in the early morning she has finally drifted into a slight slumber. But the Firebender was awake instantly as she noticed the little scratching sound of the door which opened the path to the secret passages of the palace. Her heart was beating faster but she controlled her breath to play the sleeping Princess. Her back was turned to the hidden door and the Firebender cursed herself for having fallen asleep in the end. She could feel a burning flame entering her room and the quiet footsteps of two persons. Azula heart was beating wild but she focused on her breath and suppressed the urge to open her eyes. One of the persons who have entered her room came closer and closer to the bed and finally the footsteps stopped beside her. Time passed by and finally the Princess noticed the sound of a bowl which was placed upon the nightstand. Azula could hear her blood rushing fast in her ears but she still faked her sleep. The person was still beside her bed and seemed to hesitate to walk back… and suddenly she felt a soothing hand carefully stroking over her hair and Azula’s eyes jumped wide open.

She knew this touch.

She hasn’t felt it for so long.

The person behind her took a shocked gasp and the hand froze on her head. Azula noticed the tremble which took control of the hand but the person kept the contact.

“You… you brought me cherries, mother?”

The Princess cursed herself for the tremble in her voice. She sat up in bed slowly and faced Ursa, who has pressed a hand before her mouth. Azula’s eyes wandered to the nightstand. A new bowl filled with perfect cherries were placed on it. The Princess looked back to her mother and her golden orbs scanned the teary ones of Ursa. Her mother only managed a little nod. Azula turned to the doorway of the secret passage and spotted an ashamed Sokka with a fan and a torch. She was waving shyly to Azula.

“May I…?”

The teary voice of her mother made Azula turning back to her. Ursa pointed shy at a spot on Azula’s bed. Seconds passed in silence but finally Azula nodded at her mother and the woman took place with a little smile.

“Yes Azula I brought you cherries. I have also prepared all of them. Alone.”

Azula’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion. Her mother started to play with her sleeves but her eyes kept locked with Azula’s golden ones.

“I was searching for two years now. Searching for a way to prove my care for you. I have tried many things but… none of them have been successful or have seemed to be right to me. I searched for a step which would show true care but which wouldn’t be too small or too straight forward.”

Tears started to roll down Ursa’s cheeks but a smile was still around her lips. She turned to Sokka and even in the light of the torch Azula noticed him blushing as Ursa pointed at him.

“Sokka finally offered me help and he shaped out the plan with me.”

Sokka shook his head a bit.

“It was all your mother’s idea. The cherries you always loved. The fact that you have often ordered them from the servants in the morning during summer…”

Ursa had to chuckle and she dared to take Azula’s hand. The Princess winced a bit and for a moment fear and worries found a way to Ursa’s face but she relaxed instantly as she noticed that her daughter didn’t retreated her hand. A warm smile came to Ursa’s lips.

“It was Sokka who outlined your love for perfection. It was Sokka who mentioned that the best memories he had of his mother has been the food she has prepared for the family with greatest care. It has been Sokka who came up with ideas to use the secret pathways without a Firebender to reach your room.”

Ursa gave Sokka a little sing and the man came to the bed as well. Azula could see his shy face.

“But it was your mother who has spend hours to pick the perfect cherries and to remove the pits so carefully. She has trained for weeks and last night she finally got a full bowl of perfect cherries.”

Azula faced the blue eyes of the man. She was about to talk to him but Sokka guessed her question.

“Because I care for you Azula. Because I wanted to help fixing this last big cut on your heart so it might can heal. Because you have a chance to be with your mother again. I haven’t… But you have. You deserve it. You…”

Sokka was cut off by Azula who got up on her knees in bed. She placed a hand behind Sokka’s head and pulled the man close to her to press her lips on his mouth. The eyes of the warrior jumped wide open for a moment but then he melted into the kiss. The Princess was smiling and her eyes were teary as she leaned back again. Her mind was swimming and her heart was still beating way too fast but the warm feeling which was crawling up and down her whole body felt so good.

“Thank you Sokka.”

The Firebender heard the teary gasp of her mother at her side. The Princess took the bowl with the cherries and offered it to Ursa who looked in surprise at her daughter. Azula’s face reddened and she looked adorable shy for a moment. It took her a lot of strength but her eyes kept locked with Ursa’s.

“I remember one day when I was little. I must have been two or three cause it’s only a picture left in my mind. You’ve sat on my bed like you’re doing now and have told me a story I don’t remember anymore and we’ve eaten cherries.”

Tears came to Azula’s eyes and Ursa dared to take her hand again to squeeze it. Azula smiled at her mother.

“I had forgotten this day completely until yesterday. Would you… stay here and eat the cherries with me?”

Ursa couldn’t suppress her sobs anymore and she pulled her daughter close to hug her tight while she cried openly. It only got worse as she noticed Azula’s arms closing around her as well.

“Of course Azula.”

Both stayed hugged for some long moments until Azula noticed Sokka slowly retreating towards the secret door with a warm smile on his face. The Princess straightened up in bed instantly.

“Where do you think you’re going peasant?”

Her sharp commanding voice let Sokka froze on spot. Azula ignored the confusion in her mother’s face and padded on the free spot on the other side of her bed. The Princess was able to suppress her surprise as she noticed Ursa rolling her eyes finally. Azula’s face softened and the shy smile returned to her lips.

“I plan to share these cherries with all of you. So stay… for me.”

The beaming smile and the pure joy in the warrior’s face was sending another rushing heatwave through her body and Azula placed the bowl in the middle of her bed while Sokka took place on the other side. The last morning had been great but this one with her mother and Sokka at her side promised the best start for a day Azula ever had.


End file.
